Jura Z6 Review | Sipping on Sophistication

Automatic cleaning systems that leave you with little worry or hassle and also protect its functionality and longevity

Built-in drink options so you can brew a variety of specialty drinks with one touch

Milk system gives you control over temperature and froth

CONS

There isn’t a milk carafe available to store leftover milk for later

Rinse cycle can be seen as too aggressive

The Jura Z6 Automatic Coffee Machinesucceeds in delivering a bevy of specialty drinks without any fuss. Using the company’s latest brewing technology, it provides barista-quality beverages with the simple touch of a button. It also includes a cutting-edge milk system that allows you to further customize your drink by controlling milk temperature and froth.

A smart water filtration system and automated cleaning add extra convenience so that you can sip more and stress less.

Other Options

That depends. If you are looking to use this machine daily, and enjoy an array of specialty espresso beverages, the Z6 could be worth loosening the purse strings. It lets users run the gamut of coffee strengths, temperatures, and milk froth. The technology used also do the thinking for you, by measuring grounds correctly, reminding you of filter replacement and performing automatic rinses at the end of each brewing cycle.

Moreover, if you would like to bid your days of waiting in lines at coffee shops adieu, it is a bargain.

Detailed Review and Breakdown

The Jura A1 is one of the sleeker espresso machines on the market. Its compact, all-black, minimalist design will sit inconspicuously on any kitchen counter, and blend right into any modern home.

Features

Give Some Added P.E.P.

As far as espresso goes, the capstone of this product is its Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P. Ⓡ). This new brewing technology ﹘﹘ which is only available in the brand’s latest machines ﹘﹘ forces water through coffee in pulsating intervals for optimal extraction time.

When brewing a regular cup of coffee without P.E.P., the extraction time is approximately 22 seconds for 2 ½ ounces for small coffees such as ristrettos. You’ll know it’s working because you will hear the pulsing sound and it adds approximately 10 seconds to the extraction process. This extra time is integral for barista-quality shots and crema.

Froth it Up

Latte lovers rejoice! The milk system might just be milk (and milk froth) at its highest form of sophistication.

Want your cappuccino extra hot? Looking for a latte with a lot of flavors and minimal foam? There is no limit to how specialized you can make your milk-based beverages with this product.

An iPod-style dial at the top of the top includes 10 different temperature settings for both milk and milk froth. It also switches from milk to milk foam automatically, creating sophisticated cafe-style drinks with one touch of a button.

A Smart Take on Water

Now a fixture in all the latest products, it first pioneered the company’s revolutionary Intelligent Water System (I.W.S.Ⓡ). I.W.S. contains a built-in RFID (Radio-Frequency IDentification) chip that lets you know when your filter needs to be replaced. This technology prevents scale and other substances from building up, thus increasing its longevity. The filtration system also makes for excellent water quality and taste.

The CLEARYL Smart filters used in the I.W.S. also filter substances to give you 98% pure water. With pure water, you don’t need to worry about the flavor of your coffee being compromised.

Aromatic Grinding

Another way that this unit appeals to those coffee drinkers with exquisite taste is through its Aroma G3 grinder. Like P.E.P., the G3 also gives baristas a run for their money. Conical steel burrs are this grinder’s secret weapon in cutting beans quickly and quietly. The result of this technology is 60% less residual grinds ﹘﹘ that means more flavor and less cleanup.

Specifications

10 programmable coffee strengths

4 1bs.

Width = 12.6 inches; depth = 17.7 inches; height = 14.8 inches

Water tank capacity: 81 ounces

Automatic milk rinsing system

Aluminum Casing

Ease of Use and Reliability

The TFT (Thin-Film-Transistor) display makes brewing virtually any type of coffee or milk-based drink as smooth as the touch of a button ﹘﹘ literally.

Using a dial on the top of the screen, you can quickly scroll through pictures of various drinks. With one touch, you select the beverage your heart desires and easily wait (as little as one minute) for the perfect drink.

You can see the sophistication of the TFT (coupled with its milk system) when making a trendy flat white. In case you aren’t familiar, a flat white sort of straddles the line between a cappuccino and a latte. It has more foam than a latte and more milk than a cappuccino. What makes a flat white genuinely stand on its own (with an oft increased price tag) is that a pure flat white allows you to taste a perfect blend of milk and coffee in every sip. This is what gives a flat white its caramel-colored crema. With one touch of a button, it blends a perfect flat white each and every time.

With great milk-based beverages comes the massive risk of calcium deposits and scaling ﹘﹘ and the company doesn’t take it lightly. Hygiene is vital to this company, and they have you covered with the its cleaning mechanisms. The I.W.S. entirely takes the guesswork out of how often you should change your filter. Plus, an automatic rinse cycle commences immediately after it is finished brewing.

However, some users have complained that it is too aggressive with its cleaning by commencing a rinse cycle before they have finished using it. As a note of caution, switch your rinse cycle to the “manual” option if using it in an office or if you are entertaining several caffeine-loving guests.

Cost

This product is not cheap. While several quality models impress without capping the $2,000 mark, the Z6 nearly doubles that. However, if you are a real connoisseur of milk-based espresso beverages, the plethora of features make it worth the price.

You can make virtually any specialty drink with the touch of a button, drink quality rivals that of the most skilled baristas and cleanup is a cinch. Cost-wise, it’s a great value if you’re looking for a variety of high-quality drinks and minimal cleanup time. The E8 uses the brand’s most advanced technology to date, while also costing less than several of the company’s comparable models. It doesn’t even cap the $2,000 mark, whereas other products like the Impressa Z9 Automatic and the J90 Chrome both do.

Our Opinion

If your perfect morning starts with a quality drink, then the Jura Z6 could be your new favorite barista. It includes Jura’s proprietary P.E.P. and I.W.F. technologies ensure that your coffee is robust and your water is pure. The I.W.F. and rinse cycles make cleaning a breeze and increase its longevity by preventing the buildup of scale and other substances.

However, if you’re looking for little more than a unit that can brew coffee and a few quality, milk-based beverages, it won’t be worth the price tag. Offices may also benefit from a less costly model as well unless your post is entirely populated by the most regal of coffee drinkers.

Other Options Worth Looking At

It may not be quite as aesthetically pleasing, or able to froth as magically as the Z6, but the Jura E8 comes pretty darn close. The E8 includes the same P.E.P. and I.W.F. technology, and it also matches in brewing the perfect flat white.

The Breville Oracle Touch rivals the product in one-and-done accessibility. It also quickly brews several specialty drinks and is approximately $1,000 less, making it a worthy competitor.

If you’re just looking for a good cappuccino or coffee every once in a while and don’t want to spend very much, consider the Hamilton Beach unit. It makes a great espresso, latte, and cappuccino, and it costs less than $100!